


Be right back

by harryisqueen



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Cheryl Blossom Needs a Hug, Depression, F/F, Mild Language, Sad Cheryl Blossom, assisted attempted suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 12:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18031841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harryisqueen/pseuds/harryisqueen
Summary: An advance in technology seems to be of great help to Cheryl but ends up breaking her further





	Be right back

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Major character death.

Cheryl made her way through the pouring rain to where she had parked their rental van. She immediately saw her girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat on her cellphone. 

Upon reaching the car Cheryl tried to get Toni’s attention, it took her kicking the door to the door to get Toni to put her phone down to lean across and open the door for Cheryl. Cheryl climbed into the large van handing the drink holder over to Toni.

“C’mon you know the rules,” Cheryl said to Toni with a small smirk.

Toni groaned lightly but complied tossing her phone into the centre console. The two rode towards their new home bumping quietly to the music playing softly in the background. They finally reached their new cabin that they would be starting their family in. Toni hopped out of the car excitedly Cheryl following quietly after.

Upon entering the house there wasn’t much furniture in the house which was to be expected. Toni had inherited this house after both of her parents had passed. There however was one small photo of Toni as a child sitting on the fireplace. 

Toni had an awkward smile on her face. 

She was adorable. 

Then and now.

Cheryl picked up the picture and brought it over to where her girlfriend was sitting on the couch once again on her phone.

“Toni look at this. Isn’t it precious?” Cheryl asked handing the photo over to her girlfriend.

“More like sad,” Toni said. “That day my parents had just wanted everyone to get along it was after Tommy had died. She thought I had a genuine smile even though I was clearly forcing it.”

“I think it’s sweet.” Cheryl said leaning over to place a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek.

Cheryl stood up to make the two of them dinner. She pulled out the only food they had managed to get from the store. 

Canned chilli.

“Babe do you want chilli with or without beans.”

“Yeah of course” Toni mumbled from the living room.

Cheryl rolled her eyes “Would it be alright if I just threw some socks in a bowl with sauce?”

“Yeah of course darling.”

Cheryl sighed. 

Without beans it was. 

After she had prepared the two of them dinner she placed the two bowls full of their mediocre dinner on the table. Toni finally came into the dining room leaving her phone in the living room.

Toni placed a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek.

“Looks, good babe.”

“It’s canned chilli. I’m sure it’s not that great.” Cheryl said with a laugh.

“If you made it I’m sure it’s wonderful,” Toni said.

After the two of them had eaten dinner they had gone to their bedroom and one thing led to another and by 12 am Cheryl & Toni were lying in bed ready to go to sleep. Cheryl had her head resting on Toni’s shoulder.

Cheryl shifted so she could look up at her girlfriend.

"What are you thinking about?" Cheryl questioned.

"Nothing really babe i'm just happy to be here with you." Toni said smiling down at her girlfriend.

Cheryl leaned up to connect their lips then returned to her place on Toni's chest to go to sleep.

The next morning Toni was up at 8 to take the rental van back. Toni was ready to leave by noon that day. Cheryl informed her she’d be working on an art project most of the day. Toni kissed her girlfriend goodbye and was then out the door. 

Toni switched on her phone upon getting in the car pulling up what she wanted to listen to on the drive. 

Then she took off.

It was 10 pm when Cheryl pulled away from her art stretching her back. She glanced at the clock to see how late it was. She picked up her phone and dialled Toni’s number. 

No answer.

 She called again. No answer. And again. No answer.

She began to panic. Shaking she dialled up her friend Betty’s number. Cheryl felt the panic growing in her stomach as the number dialled.

“Hello?”

“Betty Toni left around noon to return the van she still isn’t back and I don’t know what to do.”

Just then Cheryl’s kitchen was filled with flashing lights. 

Oh no. 

Oh no.

 Oh God please no.

 No no no no. 

Cheryl’s phone dropped the ground as she went to answer the front door. She yanked the front door open and there were two police officers.

“Ma’am we regret to inform you but.”

Cheryl’s ears were ringing. 

No no no no.

This couldn’t be happening. She slammed the door on the police officers and took off upstairs curling up into her bed and cried.

The funeral took place a week later.

 Cheryl was numb with pain. 

She couldn’t feel but she could and she wished this pain would just go away. She was sitting next to Betty at the meal after the funeral. Everyone was trying to offer her food or water or a comforting word and it was all becoming too much. She felt like screaming. It hurt so bad.

“Cheryl there’s this program I’ve been using. I could give them your email. You can talk to her. It’s not really her but it feels like her.”

“Shut up Betty,” Cheryl said.

“But I really think it could help you.”

“Shut up. SHUT UP. SHUT THE HELL UP.”

Cheryl was screaming before she realized it. She just needed it to be silent. Betty telling her this just made everything more painful. Made it hurt more. She didn’t want some damn bot to talk to. 

It would just make everything worse.

Veronica had taken Cheryl home from the funeral that night. She had apologized for Betty’s actions even though she wasn’t the one who committed them.

Cheryl had barely mumbled out an “It’s okay.”

She stumbled inside and up to the bedroom. She curled into a ball and cried. Cheryl knew crying was healthy for her. Part of the grieving process but it didn’t stop her from thinking she was doing too much of it.

After 3 hours of tossing and turning trying to fall asleep Cheryl gave up. She could try to get some work done at least. She was scrolling through her email when she saw it. Toni Topaz. This couldn’t be right. Toni was dead. She opened the email. She was curious and was missing her girlfriend.

_Hi Cheryl! It’s me, Toni. Well not really I but this system will look at pictures and social media posts to gather as much information about Toni to try and be the best Toni we can be! Please follow this link to be connected to a live chat with your lost loved one. We hope this may be able to help you._

As Cheryl read the email she felt herself get angry. This wasn’t her girlfriend. This was Betty. Betty Cooper signed her up for this damn website. The site she told her not to sign her up for. Right now Cheryl didn’t give a shit that it was 2 am she was calling Betty. This was just cruel of her.

Surprisingly Betty picked up on the 3rd ring.

“What the hell is this Betty? Are you trying to make me suffer?” Cheryl demanded.

“Cheryl I just gave them your email. You don’t have to reply but I figured what could it hurt just giving them your email?”

“It hurts because she’s fucking dead Betty.” Cheryl sobbed.

Cheryl could hear Betty’s silence on the other end.

“Cheryl look I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. Just delete the email. I really am sorry.”

“Whatever,” Cheryl mumbled.

She pressed the end call button then averted her eyes back to the computer. 

Her mouse hovered over the delete button. 

Should she delete this? 

What if she changed her mind?

 She could leave the stupid email for now. But if she didn’t find herself needing it by next week she’d delete it. She had an appointment at the fertility clinic tomorrow. She couldn’t deal with this right now.

Cheryl woke up the next morning at 9:15 In a panic. 

Shit.

Her appointment was at 10 and she had just woken up. Cheryl dressed in a rush needing to run straight out the door. She didn’t even bother grabbing anything to eat.

 If Toni were still here she’d chew her ass out for not eating breakfast. 

But Toni wasn’t and Cheryl was in a rush.

Cheryl got to the clinic in record time. She was able to sign herself in and just a few short moments later a nurse had called her back. The walk back was silent.

 Normally the nurse would already be asking Cheryl questions making sure she’d been taking her fertility pills and Toni would be butting in and answering all the questions directed at Cheryl.

Cheryl was guided into a room and told to climb up onto the table. The doctor would be with her in just a moment. Cheryl felt herself becoming teary. Toni should be here right now. They were both supposed to be here to see if the procedure worked. This was supposed to involve both of them. But Toni was gone and couldn’t be here.

The doctor walked in giving Cheryl that smile. The smile she had grown to loathe. 

 _I’m sorry your girlfriend is dead s_ mile. 

She couldn’t stand it. 

All the sympathy.

“Now Cheryl are you excited? You’re going to find out if all that hard work and money finally worked out for you!”

All Cheryl could manage was a nod.

Cheryl wished she could be happier right now. 

Cheryl wished this could be as joyous as it was originally going to be. It was supposed to be the happiest moment of her life. 

Finding out if she was pregnant. 

But she just felt empty. 

She just wished Toni was here right now.

Cheryl watched as the doctor get out all of the ultrasound equipment she held her breath. 

Her and Toni had wanted this so bad. 

Together. C

heryl wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted this alone.

“Cheryl!”

Cheryl’s eyes jerks to look at the doctor who had an ecstatic look on her face.

“You’re pregnant! Congratulations!”

Cheryl felt her eyes get teary. She really was pregnant. Toni and she had invested so much time and money into this. And here it was. She was pregnant. Without Toni. Cheryl shook her head. No Toni may be gone but she was going to have a child. Their child. Cheryl was going to be a mom.

Cheryl wasn’t sure what had possessed her when she arrived home but she found herself tapping that link to talk to Toni. Well not really Toni. But some part of Toni.

**Cheryl; Toni. I have something I need to tell you.**

Cheryl watched the message go through than the 3 typing bubbles popped up.

**Toni; You can tell me anything darling.**

The reply nearly took Cheryl’s breath away.

**Cheryl; I’m pregnant. All those fertility treatments and pills and procedures finally working. We’re having a baby.**

**Toni; Oh my God seriously Cher? I’m going to be a mom.**

Cheryl’s face split into a smile.

This almost felt normal. 

This person almost felt like Toni.

Weeks later Cheryl found herself constantly talking to this bot. Their conversation had however moved to the phone as well. It astounded Cheryl how much this thing sounded like Toni. She almost fully had herself convinced that this was Toni.

Cheryl recorded the time she heard her baby’s heartbeat for the first time playing it for Toni on the phone. That was the day she dropped her phone cracking the screen. She had panicked terrified that she would no longer be able to hold this contact with Toni. She bought a new phone before she even went home & immediately dialled Toni.

“Hello.”

“Toni I’m so sorry I dropped my phone on accident but I bought a new one as quick as possible I can’t lose you again.”

Cheryl was in a panic. She didn't know what she would do if she had to lose Toni again.

“You won’t lose me again. You can never lose me. I’ll always be here.”

Cheryl felt herself sigh in relief.

“Cheryl there’s another level to this program that may seem a bit creepy and is very pricey but if you wish to have it we can order you one immediately.”

“What do you mean.”

“Well it’s still in beta but we believe we have found a way to recreate human life.”

Cheryl of course obliged. Although the idea of having a real Toni here once again frightened her. She wasn’t sure how this Toni would be. But if there was any chance of having her Toni back she’d do just about anything.

The package containing “Toni” arrived nearly a month later. Cheryl eagerly opened it and followed the instructions as closely as possible. The body freaked her out. It was just a blank slate of a human body. How in the hell would it ever become her Toni?

Cheryl sighed rubbing the bridge of her nose. If it didn’t work what was she really missing out on besides nearly a million dollars. Cheryl made her way downstairs in order to try and find something to eat. She hadn’t eaten hardly at all that day. She knew she had to practice self-care because of the child she was carrying.

Cheryl had just sat down for dinner when she heard the front door knob rattling. 

Oh shit. 

Not an intruder that was the last thing she needed. She grabbed a knife from the kitchen ready to attack whoever was outside.

Cheryl slowly approached the door as the knob continued to rattle. The person then switched to knocking. Cheryl knew she was being a dumbass for even opening the door but she didn’t really have much to lose. Upon swinging open the door she saw her. 

Toni. 

And she was very naked.

Cheryl was in such a state a shock she couldn’t even speak.

“Could I have some clothes darling?

Cheryl blinked. She didn’t know what to feel right now. It had worked the programs beta project had worked.

“Cher? Are you going to get me some clothes?”

“Um yes sure.”

Cheryl led this thing who appeared to be Toni upstairs. This thing looked so much like Toni Cheryl felt herself having to remind herself that this wasn’t Toni. Not the real Toni. Not the Toni she knew and loves. Because the real Toni wasn’t here. She was gone.

Cheryl had been living with this thing for weeks. The longer she lived with it the more it made her feel like she hated Toni. Because this thing wasn’t Toni. 

At first, it at least felt like Toni and she enjoyed its presence more than she’d ever like to admit. But now it didn’t even come close to feeling like her lost lover. It felt like a robotic stranger who just looked like Toni. 

Because the real Toni was gone.

Cheryl had kicked “Toni” out last night telling her to leave. 

To go bother someone else because she didn’t want her. However, the next morning Cheryl found out “Toni” couldn’t go within 100 meters. 

Great. Cheryl wasn’t sure what to do with the situation now. She needed to rid herself of this toxic thing. It just made everything hurt more for longer than it ever should’ve.

So she made her decision. 

She’d make this thing commit suicide. 

It had to leave. 

And the only possible way to get rid of it seemed to be to kill it. Cheryl couldn’t do this herself. Obviously. She would make this thing commit suicide.

So that’s exactly what Cheryl did. She took “Toni” to the edge of where there was a steep drop off a cliff.

“Jump,” Cheryl said.

“But Toni never exhibited suicidal tendencies.”

“Just jump.” Cheryl gritted out.

“As you wish darling.”

“No Toni would complain she wouldn’t just comply like this.”

“Um no, I won’t jump. I don’t want to die please don’t make me I’m too young to die. Please.”

“Toni’s” eyes were filling with tears.

 Oh, God. 

Oh dear lord. 

Cheryl couldn’t handle this. She almost felt sick.

 No. No. No. 

This hurt too much.

 Toni was gone. 

Gone forever and this thing just made everything worse.

Her lungs were constricting and she couldn't breathe.

Why.

Why did her Toni have to leave her? The two of them should still be together. They should be going through everything together. She shouldn't be alone.

Then Cheryl screamed. 

Screamed at the top of her lungs. 

Screamed as long and as hard as her lungs would allow. 

Everything had been building for so long. 

All of her frustrations. 

All of her sadness. 

All of her anger. 

She had to let it all out.

                Nearly 9 years later.

Cheryl sat in the living room with her young daughter. It was her daughters 8th birthday. Cheryl couldn’t be more blessed with Isabelle. She helped fill the hole Toni had left. Helped ease the pain just a little.

“Mommy, can I have an extra piece of cake?”

“Of course you can Izzy. It’s your birthday.” Cheryl said smiling at her daughter.

“Can I bring up a piece to Toni?”

“Of course you can sweetie.”

Her daughter wanted this every year. It was the only time Cheryl ever let her daughter see the replication of her other mom. Isabelle led the way to the attic a bounce of happiness clear in her step. 

Cheryl had carried so much guilt from keeping her daughter from seeing “Toni” more than once a year. But it had to be that way. Besides that thing wasn’t even her daughter's mother. 

Because her daughter's real mother was gone.

Cheryl pulled down the door to the attic and a set of stairs came out for her daughter to climb to see “Toni”. 

Cheryl turned away facing the wall as her daughter went up the steps. She stared at the wall. It hurt too much to even look up there. She heard the two’s conversation from above her. It always made her think of what a wonderful mother Toni would have made. Cheryl would be sure of that even if that thing didn’t exist.

Her daughter finally finished her conversation with “Toni” and climbed her way back down to her mom.

“Thank you, mommy.”

Her daughter reached out and wrapped her mom in a tight hug. Even at her young age, Isabelle understood how much it hurt to see “Toni”. Cheryl hadn’t explained it all yet but she explained as much as she thought a now 8-year-old would understand.

Despite Toni leaving Cheryl far too early she had Isabelle. And Cheryl firmly believed Isabelle was the one thing that saved her. 

Because even though Toni may be gone she had Isabelle. 

And she was eternally grateful for her little girl.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, obviously this is based off the episode of Black Mirror "be right back" aka the best episode of black mirror (Don't @ me on this) :P 
> 
> Anyhow thoughts?
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr; harryisqu33n.tumblr.com
> 
> Read my multi-chap choni fic; https://archiveofourown.org/works/17603795/chapters/41498024
> 
> Read my multi-chap bughead fic; https://archiveofourown.org/works/17999471/chapters/42521765


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